Major Airports Like Heathrow, Gatwick May Help Aliens Detect Earth, Study Finds

Earth’s Airports Could Be Alerting Aliens to Our Presence, Scientists Warn

As humans scan the cosmos for signs of alien life, researchers suggest our own radio signals might be betraying our location. A study presented at the Royal Astronomical Society’s National Astronomy Meeting reveals that radar systems at airports and military bases emit detectable signals that could act as cosmic beacons for extraterrestrial civilizations.

Radio Leaks in Space

Earth’s civilian airports, like Gatwick and Heathrow, emit radar signals strong enough to be detected by advanced alien telescopes. These radar beams—used to track aircraft—leak into space, reaching intensities of two billion megawatts. Simulations show a telescope comparable to West Virginia’s Green Bank Telescope could detect these signals from up to 200 light-years away. For perspective, the nearest potentially habitable planet, Proxima Centauri B, is just 4.24 light-years distant.

Airports like Gatwick use radar systems that leak signals into space, potentially visible to alien observers (Image: Getty).

Military Radars: Even Stronger Signals

Military radar systems pose an even greater risk of detection. Unlike civilian systems, military radars sweep the sky like lighthouses, producing narrow, intense beams up to 100 times stronger. These patterns would appear unmistakably artificial to distant observers, says lead researcher Ramiro Caisse Saide.

Military radar sweeps could signal intelligent life due to their artificial patterns (Image: PA).

Could Aliens Find Us?

Professor Michael Garrett of the University of Manchester emphasizes that aliens wouldn’t need Star Trek-level technology. “They’d only need to be a few hundred years more advanced,” he told MailOnline. However, he downplays invasion fears: “Technical civilizations might be rare or short-lived. The universe is vast, and overlapping timelines for contact are unlikely.”

The Green Bank Telescope (pictured) could detect Earth-like signals from 200 light-years away (Image: Getty).

Implications for the Search for ET

The study suggests broadening the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) to include weaker, broad-band signals like radar, not just focused narrowband transmissions. Garrett remains optimistic: “AI could accelerate our progress, and detecting alien signals might be imminent.”

Proxima Centauri B, the closest potentially habitable exoplanet, could detect Earth’s signals (Artist’s impression: ESO/M. Kornmesser).

Should We Worry?

Researchers urge calm, noting that civilizations may rise and fall too quickly to overlap. “Radar emissions alone likely aren’t risky,” says Garrett. Instead, the real takeaway is refining how we hunt for alien technosignatures.

In a universe teeming with possibilities, humanity’s radio whispers might soon find an answer—or remain one of many fleeting cosmic echoes.

Word count: ~600